April 2001 - 10 reformasi activists were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for allegedly attempting to topple the government through violent means.

Five years on, they are still waiting to prove their innocence in court. All have since been released.

The 10 are Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib, Hishamuddin Rais, Tian Chua, Badaruddin Ismail, N Gobalakrishnan, Ghani Haron, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Badrulamin Baharom and Lokman Adam

Six of them recalled their ordeal and reiterated their commitment to have the law abolished at a press conference called by the Abolish ISA Movement (AIM) in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Speaking first was Hishamudddin, who is also a malaysiakini columnist. He related his experience at the interrogation room during his incarceration at the Kamunting detention centre.

According to him, he was taken to the interrogation room at 11 am every day.

"Six (police) special branch officers will work very hard to dig out information," he told the audience, who broke out into laughter.

'Symbol of failure'

Mohd Ezam said the ISA was a 'symbol of failure' for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's leadership.

"I urge political parties to step up their campaign for the ISA's abolishment and bring this issue to the international audience," added the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth chief.

Ghani Haron reminded the government not to make the wrong assumption that the campaign to have the security law repealed had abated.

Citing a Malay adage, he said "jangan sangka air tenang tak ada buaya" (just because the water is calm, does not mean there are no crocodiles)

He also expressed gratitude to high court judge Hishamuddin Yunus for courageously declaring that his and Gobalakrishnan's detentions were in bad faith and ordering their release.

'Fed dog feces'

Gobalakrishnan and his wife R Vasanthi, who accompanied him, could not hold back their tears as he recounted his detention.

"I was only allowed to see my wife and children after 47 days of detention... I believed I was even fed with dog's feces," he said .

He also thanked his lawyers and all those, including what he called the ISA wives club, who had helped him and his family during the ordeal.

Human rights lawyer Latheefa Koya, who chaired the press conference, asked the audience to buy a copy of Saari's latest book entitled Illegal and Mala Fide Detention.

"You better read it before you are detained under the ISA. We don't know who is the next victim and this book is definitely not allowed in Kamunting," she said.

Also present was 13-year-old schoolboy Suhaib, whose father Mat Sah Mohd Satray has been under ISA detention for the past five years over terror-related charges.

Asked about his view on the ISA, he said: "I miss my father...I am angry at the ISA because it took away my father who has done nothing wrong".

AIM head Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh reiterated the movement's call to release all the 100-odd ISA detainees in Kamunting or charge them in an open court.